By Pius Rugonzibwa in Mwanza
TREATMENT to HIV
patients has recorded a tremendous milestone, with the new
Anti-Retroviral (ARV) drug proving to be able to...
suppress viral load
within six months, with fewer or no side effects at all.
The generic
fixed-dose combination of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, lamivudine, and
dolutegravir (TLD), which is now available in many public hospitals in
the country, has been supplied at the Lake Zone based health facilities
for the last six to seven months.
Clinical studies
have demonstrated that treatment regimens with TLD result in more rapid
suppression of viral load, fewer side effects, and greater potency
against drug resistance than current regimens in use by patients.
"Timely suppression
of viral loads is one of the surest ways of preventing opportunistic
diseases, and the drug has proven highly efficient compared to others in
use," said Dr Mohamed Mnyau.
Dr Mnyau was
heading a panel of experts who conducted a workshop of about 150 health
staff from Mwanza and Shinyanga regions that deliberated on the best
practices to be observed while administering the drug to patients, among
other technicalities.
He said with proper
dosage, administration, and other precautions, patients have been
reporting good development, adding that training health experts on how
to take the drug was extremely important.
Similar trainings
are conducted throughout the country, with those in the Lake Zone being
provided by the National Aids Control Programme (NICP) and facilitated
by the Ariel Glaser Pediatrics AIDS Healthcare Initiatives (AGPAHI).
One of the
participants, a Clinical Officer from Kitungulu Health Center in
Sengerema District, Shaban Malengwa said his center started giving out
the new drug in September this year, and so far patients are very happy
with it.
He said many
patients have been reporting a positive trend compared to other ARVs
that used to cause them different forms of discomfort, with other
patients complaining of experiencing nightmares during the night when
they took them.
Mr Malengwa thanked
the government for making TLD available, suggesting for logistic
arrangements for the drug to be supplied to dispensaries as well.
On his side, Mr
Emillian Ng'wandu, a Program Officer and Pharmacist from AGPAHI, said
supply of the drug has been maintained, and that by end of this year,
over 100 health centers across the Lake Zone will start getting them as
well.
Basically, he said
the supply of the drug started at referral, followed by regional and
district hospitals and some selected health centers, thanks to the
timely supply by Medical Stores Department (MSD).
According to
experts, patients with less than 50 viral loads cannot transmit HIV to
another sex partner while other patients can carry up to 10,000 to
100,000 viral loads, making it extremely difficult to recover from the
opportunistic diseases.
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